“Santa Fe has attracted creative talents in many media from the 18th into the 20th century, and a special talent was that of Chuzo Tamotzu. His centuries-old Japanese heritage led him to capture the essence of Santa Fe, New Mexico, in his delightful drawings. Harriet Kimbro, intrigued with his artistry, added her poetry to complete this charming book.” —Alice H. Rossin

Born in Japan, Chuzo Tamotzu came to this country in 1920 and was part of the New York art scene until 1948 when he and his wife Louise moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico. A well known and beloved figure walking and sketching through town, his drawings reflect both his early Zen training and his awareness of Santa Fe and its nature. Since his death at 88, Louise has retained his studio, formerly John Sloan’s, as a gallery for his works.

Harriet Kimbro has long been fascinated with haiku, a Japanese form of poetry expressing a moment in time in nature, and was inspired by Chuzo Tamotzu’s drawings of the Santa Fe area which are poetry in art. She has published a number of haiku in The Sunstone Review, as well as a small book of them, and continues to work in that medium. As she explains, “In a busy schedule, haiku gives us an excuse—if we need one—to stop and feel what’s around us.” Many of Harriet’s friends, who love her and her talent, feel that her life is poetry itself.